For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, the Cradle, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from CraigMurray.org.uk via Consortium News; others articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 8  U.S. troops need to stay in Syria to counter the Islamic State group, Austin says, by Tara Copp | AP  RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — The U.S. needs to keep troops deployed in Syria to prevent the Islamic State group from reconstituting as a major threat following the ouster of Bashar Assad’s government, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Associated Press. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 8  Turkish drone strikes U.S.-backed Kurds as clashes rage in north Syria. From the Cradle. Heavy clashes between Turkish-backed militants and US-backed Kurdish fighters continued to rage across the Aleppo countryside in northern Syria on Wednesday, as Ankara provided air cover to its proxies throughout the fighting. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 8  Syrians are visiting the once off-limits seaside Assad family villa. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  Syrians are now visiting the seaside villa of the ousted President Bashir al-Assad. The compound had been off-limits since it was built for the Assad family 50 years ago. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JAN. 7   Twisting the terrorism narrative, by Craig Murray | CraigMurray.org.uk / Consortium News  The installation of HTS in Syria by the NATO powers and Israel was a propaganda orgy of “joy” and “liberation.” Undoubtedly some people did feel joy and liberation. But the Western media have not stayed around since to report the subsequent . . . READ MORE . . .